Steam-injector



(Model) v G. G. WILLIAMS.

. STEAM INJECTOR.

Patented Oct. 10,1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT l rrica GARNER G. WILLIAMS, OF ELLENVILLE, NEWYORK, ASSIGNOR TO ILLIAM SELLERS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-INJECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No 265,648, dated October10, 1882.

Application filed January 16, 1880.

10 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GARNER O. WILLIAMS, ot'Ellenville, county of Ulster, and State, of

New York, have invented certain new and use t'ul improvements of thatapparatus commonly calledan-injector,of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, formingpart thereof, the same being a central longitudinal section of aninjectoreinbodying my invention.

The object of this invention is to produce an injector of plainconstruction, and capable of automatic action that will start inoperation, lifting the water-t0 itself, it' necessary, simply upon theadmission of steam, and without any further manipulation or adjustmentof valves or cocks, which would require the attention of a skilledattendant, and also so arranged that if its action becomes interruptedit will readjust itself to its proper work again,and so con tinne aslong as steam is supplied and there are no foreign substances toobstruct its operation. To accomplish this it is necessary to have oneapparatus which will draw the water into the injectorand deliver it withsome force and greatregularity to another apparatus that forces it tothe place of final destination, and they must be so arranged andconstructed that the second shall in no way at any time inter- 0 ferewith the first so as to prevent it from drawing the water into theinjector, and also so that the second, when operating, shall receive thewater delivered into the injector by the operation of the firstapparatus; and it is 5 also further necessary to provide a vent oroutlet for the escape of the steam and water during the preliminaryaction of the injector with- -out passing through the. second apparatus,

, and to make the operation of the injector au- 0 tomatic this outletmust be fitted with a valve so arranged that it will close when theaction of the injector is established and not before, and will remainclosed so long as such action continues, but when such action is broken5 will open again to allow the injector to repeat the preliminaryactions that go to produce its perfect working. Injectors have been madecontaining two sets of apparatus for the purpose indicated, but so faras I am aware their 5 construction is such that when the injector has tolift its supply of water the second will not start in operation it steamis admitted -to both at the same time, it being necessary for theapparatus that draws the water into the injector to be first put inoperation and the wa- 5; ter made to cover the second apparatus beforethe latter is started. This renders it necessary to have separate valvesfor letting on the steam to each, and complicates both the constructionand operation of the injector, and 6:) requires skilled attention andmanipulation, which I obviate. I am also aware that singlejet injectorshave been made in which a valve titted to the vent or outlet, commonlycalled the overflow, has been closed automatically; but in such cases ithas been done in either one of two ways--first, by the inward suction ofthe injector that may sometimes be established at the overflow, owing toan insutiicient supply of water, or other imperfections in the I workingof the injector; but such closing is only to prevent air entering, anddoes not in any way prevent the escape of water when it is present atthat point; second, by the pressure of the water in the injector uponthe valve itself to close it when the stem thereof is released by theraising of the checkvalve; but such valve must remain closed until thecheckvalve again presses it open, and as the pressure upon it must atall times, while steam is turned on the injector, be considerable, itwill lose its automatic action unless the check-valve is carefullyarranged to prevent any free escape of water around it, and it will thenonly regain it when the steam is turned olf. In my invention the closingof the valve by the device herein shown prevents all ingress or egressof water or air at that point, and whenever the injector ceases to workthere is nothing to preventtheclieck-valvereturning toits seat, when 0all the pressure of the water or steam in the injector will press uponthe valve and its attachments to open it.

In order that my saiil invention may be more fully understood, I willnow more particularly 5 describe it, referring to thedrawing hereuntoannexed, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The pipe G communicates with the watersupply, and conducts the water tothe steam- 10o nozzle a and the water-inlet port I), which form theapparatus for drawing the water into the injector and for forcing itthrough the passage G to the second apparatus. The steamnozzle a of thesecond apparatus opens into the chamberA and delivers its steam into theend of the combining-tube I). Both steam-nozzles a and a receive theirsteam through the pipe H, which communicates with the boiler, and isprovided with a suitable stop-valve for the purpose of admitting thesteam as required to the two steam-nozzles.

Aisa chamberin thebodyoftheinjector, and has arpartition, O, whichdivides it into two compartments, A and A communicating with each otherby the open passagef at the top.

B is another chamber, separated from A by the diaphragm D.-

a, b I), and I form the second apparatus, fitted to receive the waterfrom the first apparatus and force it into B on its way to the point ofdelivery. The end of pipe I) which is commonly called the delivery-tubepasses through the diaphragm and .terminates in chamber 13. The otherend. which is called the com billing-tube, passes through or overpartition G and terminates in compartment A of chamber A. e is anopening, called an overflow, between the combining and the deliverytubes 1) b. Any one skilled in the art will know how to construct andproportion the pipes a a, b b, and b to insure their operation upon thewell-known principles of the steamsiphon and of the Griffard and otherinjectors.

Upon the inner end of the steam-nozzle a a shield I, is interposedbetween it and the combining tube b, as shown. shield are openings 0 0to permit the water to flow in and meet the steam as it issues from atoward 1).

The partition 0 rises flOIll the bottom of chamber A and terminates atthe level of or a little above pipe I), so that all the water deliveredby the first apparatus shall be pre sented to the action of the secondbefore it passes over said partition 0 and beyond the power of the steamissuing from a.

At the bottom of compartment A, at E, is the vent oroverfiow port,provided with a valve, E, which we will call an overflow-valve, andwhich opens outward and is attached to a stem, E having on its oppositeend a piston, E fitted to work in the short cylinder E d is a portpermitting. the entry of steam or water from the chamber B into thelower end of said cylinder and under piston-head E F is the exit-passageleading out of chamer B to the pipes leading to the place of de livery,and is provided with a check-valve, F, opening outward, attached to astem, F the opposite end of which is fitted to act as a valve to closeport at when valve F is closed upon its seat.

I find it preferable to construct and arrange the chamber A as shown inthe drawingthat is, with the partition 0 dividing the cham- At the baseof this sesame her into the water-receiving compartment A (in which isthe nozzle a and from which extends the combining-pipe. b to the chamberB) and the overflow-compartment A, to which the openingfin the partition0, above the level of the nozzle a, leads from the compartment A thiscompartment A containing the overflow port and valve, and also theoverflow e of the combining-firm b; but I do not limit myself to thispeculiar construction, for the partition 0 may be made a continuous walland the compartment A dispensed with. and the valve E may be placed inan overflow-port opening from the chamber A at any point above the levelof the steam-nozzle, and the connection of said valve with thecheck-valve F by means of the described devices to secure the automaticaction specified may then be established. communication between thewaterchamber and the chamberB beingsecured by suitable means.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: When the injector is notin operation the back or boiler pressure from the pipes leading out ofFwill keep valve F closed, and, port d being also closed, the valve Eandirs attachments will be free to act. Steain, being admitted into pipeH, passes through both jets a and a at the same time into the body ofthe injector. That which passes out of a will pass through 1) intocompartment A and thence over partition 0 into compartment A. The steamwhich passes out of a passes through I and enters the mouth of b. It iswell known by those skilled in the making and use of injectors that instarting an injector, and until the steam as it flows through theinjectors nozzle is sufliciently' condensed, a part of the steam willpass through pipe 1) into chamber B andpart will pass out of overflow ainto compartment A, and yet another considerable part will not passthrough I), but will force itself baek out of the entrance to b. Thisbackfiowing steam will pass into compartment A thence over partition (J,with the steam from a, into compartment A, thus uniting with thesteamfrom e, and all will press upon the head of piston E and upon valveE, and will open E and pass out of the injectorthro'ugh E. The passagein A, between compartments A and A over partition 0 and the outlet-portE, being made of sufficient area to allow free outlet of the steam, soas not to press back upon thcjet issuing from a through I), an inwarddraft or suction will be established, expelling the air and drawing thewater in through G which will be ejected into A and be taken up by theupper jet and driven through pipe 1) into chamberB until that chamber isfilled. Then it will overflow through 0 into A, and so out at E, andcontinue until the pressure or momentum or Ms him of the jet willovercome the resistance in F, when valve F will open and the water passon to the point of final delivery. The opening of valve F will uncoverport d and admit water out of chamber B into cylinder E under piston E,which will close the valve E and hold it closed so long as the pressureot' the water in chamber B is sufiicient to keep open the valve F; butso soon as the pressure in B is lessened, so as to permit the closing ofvalve I by the back-pressure upon it, the port at will be covered andallow valve E to open. Then the several operations will be repeated withevery repetition of the several abovedleseribed conditions, so that thisapparatus must always be either in full working order or ready to startin full work. Should thei'ull action of the apparatus be interrupted byany cause that does not actually disarrange its parts, it cannot getinto a position or condition that will not admit of its automaticallyrecommencing work, (differing in this from all other injectors, as faras I am aware,) but can only assume one of the positions or conditionsthat are necessary for the preliminary starting, and will con tinue inthat position until the jet is re-established in full power.

It will be observed that I have made no specific provision for theescape of the water out of cylinder E when the port (I is closed, whileit is necessary to get it out of said cylinder to allow the movement ofthe piston that will permit valve E to open. I assume that there willalways be a waste around piston E and the valve-stem E sufficient forthe fillingof the cylinder; but it not, then-provision can he made forsuiiicient vent either by a fine groove out along piston E or valve-stemE though it must he very slight, as that waste will be continuous, andduring the working of the injector all the water that thus escapes fromE will have to be taken up again, either at the mouth of l) orre-entering at e.

In the varying conditions of the pressure of steam or supply of water orpressure against which an apparatus of this kind must work, or

in the diit'ereu t ranges of duty it may he calledupon to perform,itwill ol'ten happen that more water may be taken into 7) than the jetfrom a will deliver with requisite force. At such times a portion willescape at 0, and is usually lost at the overflow, though various deviceshave been made to prevent such loss. In this case it is evident it willbe returned to I) and again subjected to the action of thejet. Thisfacility of return of overflow I deem an important feature in thearrangement of this apparatus. Again, at other times, it will occur thatthe jet a can deliver more than is taken in at the mouth of b. Thiscauses an inward draft at c, and various plans have been used to supplywater there, or to prevent air entering there, or to utilize the suctionin one way or another; but in this apparatus the overflow a will alwaysbe surrounded by water when the injector is working, and if a suctionoccurs at 0 water will be taken in there till the full power ofjet a isutilized. The amount of water supplied by the first apparatus will alsodepend upon the pressure in chamber A against which it must work. If thesecond apparatus be delivering water fre ely, there will not be much, it

any, pressure in A. There may he at times a slight tendency to a vacuumin A. At such times the jet ct will deliver water freely, and may attimes be aided by the tendency to such vacuum.

If the second apparatus be delivering water slowly, and the wateraccumulates in A, it will retard the delivery of the first apparatus inproportion to the pressure in A. It is at such times as the putting ofthe second apparatus upon what is called low dut v-that is, the deliveryof small quantities--that the jet .becomes liable to break and injectorsstop working, owing to the want of proper condensation of the steam. Inthis apparatus at such times the increased pressure in A will facilitatethe condensation and greatly reduce the liability to break.

I have now come to a point where I wish to show more fully the relationthe shield I bears to the working of this injector and to its automaticaction, as well as to describe more fully how it is to be constructed.It there be no water present in an injector, and the forcing-jet, whichin this injector is the jet a, be supplied with steam, that portion ofsteam that will force itself back out of the combiningpipe, which inthis injector is the pipe I), will flow with such force along the outersurface of the nozzle of the forcing-jet that water cannot reach thesteam as it issues from the said nozzle. It is for this reason that itis first necessary to surround the forcing-jet with water beforeadmitting steam to it. In this injector I have arranged the shield I sothat all the steam issuing from the forcing-jet a will pass through Iinto I), and all the steam that reacts back out of b will strike theshield I, and so be prevented from reacting against the steam asittlowsout of pipe (t. There being an annular space between 1 and the end of a,the water can flow into the jet through the openings 0 c, and therelative areas of the nozzle (6 and shield I can 'be so proportioned asto cause a strong suction into the shield I through the openings 0 c.

When water meets the jet issuing from a it will condense a portion ofthe jet, and, being thrown with great force through I, will prevent anyfurther reaction of steam out of the inner end of I). Then the waterwill be free to enter I), between it and I, and a full supply can thusat all times be relied upon for the perfect working of the injector.

I do not limit myself to any particular form of the shield I. It may bemade conical or cylindrical, or it may be a plain diaphragm. The end toattain is to prevent the reacting steam from interrupting the flow ofthe steam out of a and the inflow of the water to meet and condense saidoutfiowing steam from a. To this end it is only necessary that when thewater enters compartment A it shall be free to enter or'be drawn inbetween the pipe a and the shield I, and so come in contact with the jetas it issues from the pipe at, the function of this shield being toenable the water to come in contact with the steam as itissnes from thesteam-nozzle of the forcing-jet, whether the water is admitted to or isdrawn into the instrument before or after the steam has been turned onbut when the water-supply is above the instrument, and it is turned onbefore the steam is admitted, the water will flow through theinstrument, and the injector will go to work with or without thisshield.

1 am aware that injectors have been tnade that have used a series ofcombining-pipes in sections that may have been so constructed that thereaction did not occur within the first section of the combining'pipe;but the steam 7 that finally reacted outot' the combining-pipe enteredthe water-inlet pipe with force enough to pi event water entering theinjector. In my apparatus the steam from jet a will force all the steamfrom the combining-pipe to pass out of overflow valve E, so thatreacting steam cannot impair the suction of the apparatus.

I have described this injector as a steaminjectt r; but it may be usedfor all purposes for which injectors may he used, the words steam andwater used in this description being for the greater facility ofdescription, as injectors are generally used for steam, and hence suchdescription will be more readily understood.

In the apparatus as I have described it the steam-jets would be solidjets; but thesejets may be made annular by the use of a plug or stem inthecenter of the jet, and the plug may terminate within the steam-pipesor beyond the end of the steam pipes. It may be arranged so that thewater shallenter either one or both sets of apparatnsat those placeswhere steam enter s, and the steam may act upon the water in annularjets properly arranged and directed around the jets of water; so I donot confine myself to any particular forms of jets. Any known form maybe etnployed.

While I regard the automatic features of the valve E as desirable and asa novelty which I am entitled to claim, still the said valve may be madeto operate by hand, if preferred, doing away with the piston-head E andcylinder E the port cl, and its valve 1, without inaterially affectingthe operation of the other described parts of the injector.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

In a steam injector, a water inlet port opening into and anoverflow-port opening out of one and the same chamber, constructed andcombined to operate substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a steam-injector, a steam-nozzle and a water-inlet port openinginto one and the same chamber, and an overflow-port opening out ofsaid'chamber, constructed and combined to operate substantially as andfor the purposes specified.

3. The combination, in a steaminjector, of the water-inlet port, theoverflow-port, and the steam-nozzle. all in one and the same chamber,and arranged relatively to oneanother as described, whereby waterentering the chamber will submerge the injector-nozzle before it canpass out through the overflow,substantially as set forth.

4. In esteem-injector, the combination of a steam-nozzle and awater-inlet port opening into one and the same chamber, an overflowportopening out of said chamber, and a partition between said ports, so thatwater entering the chamber from the inlet-port must flow over thesteam-nozzle and partition beforeitcan pass out of the overflow-port,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a steam-injector, the combination of a steam-nozzle and awater-inletport opening into one and the same chamber, an overflow-GARNER G. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

B. S. CLARK, M. F. CLIFTON.

